The Father He Never Was
by lexie2
Summary: A Father s Day vignette.


**A/N**: I felt like writing something to celebrate Father´s Day and here´s what I came up with. It´s a very short and somewhat sappy short piece; I hope you´ll like it.

**AUTHOR****: **Lexie

**RATING****: **G

**SUMMARY****: **A Father´s Day vignette

**THE FATHER HE NEVER WAS**

I look at you lying peacefully asleep and feel a tightening in my chest, wondering what I´ve done to deserve such happiness in my life. You´ve completed the dream I´d always yearned for but never thought would come my way. I look at you and pray not to blunder this time because if I were to lose you, my heart would be ripped out from my chest; I just wouldn´t know how to fight this darkness that has threatened to engulf me most of my life if that day ever arrived.

I caress your delicate cheek and lean down to press a soft kiss on your brow as I close my eyes and let your sweet perfume envelop me and take me back to a room just like this one. I feel the tears well up in my eyes, wishing things hadn´t ended the way they did, wishing she were here with us to share in our joy. I wish to make her proud, to show her that, despite how hard he tried to mould me into a man like him, God´s given me the chance to become someone worthy- the son she wanted me to be, the husband and the father mine never was.

I tuck you in trying not to rouse you, and I hear you whimper softly in your sleep. It makes me feel eager and, at the same time, terrified to have your voice say the word I´ve never heard addressed to me before- a name I hope to earn each passing day.

"Daddy," whispers a voice muffled by my shirt as a pair of loving arms wrap around my waist from behind.

"She´s gorgeous, isn´t she?" I murmur, looking at our three-month-old daughter in her crib.

"She is. But, then, we´re both biased, Lex, aren´t we?" responds my wife Chloe.

"I´ll never get tired of watching her sleep. She always looks so peaceful," I tell Chloe, covering her hands with mine.

"That´s because she´s loved," says my blonde reporter with that luminous smile that makes her green eyes shine brighter.

"Does she… Do you think she knows how much I…? " I croak, hating myself for still being so insecure when it comes to my own capacity to express my deepest feelings.

"Lex, you aren´t him," Chloe interrupts me using that no-nonsense tone that must have rubbed off on her when she married into the Luthor family.

"I just hope she´ll be proud to call me her father one day," I confess uncomfortably.

"And she will. I bet you´re dying to hear her say the word," she smiles knowingly.

"Oh, here you are, sweetie!" exclaims a familiar voice from the threshold of our daughter´s nursery.

"Daddy!" beams Chloe, running into Gabe´s arms.

"Hello, Lex," he greets me with a warm fatherly smile like none I ever got from own dad.

"How are you doing, Gabe?" I respond in kind.

"The pumpkin´s still sleeping?" asks the besotted grandfather.

"Morpheus will keep her company for a couple of hours," answers Chloe as the older man comes closer to the crib. "Come, dad," Chloe tells him, tugging at his sleeve."I´ve got something for you," she adds, pulling him out of the room." I hope you´ll like it but, if you don´t, be honest, OK? You know…" she keeps on rambling as they step out of the nursery.

"See what you´ve got yourself into, kid?" Gabe sighs from the door." And wait till she starts speaking. She´ll have you wrapped around her little finger," he chuckles.

"Oh, but she already does, " I say under my breath.

"Oh, by the way, Lex!" Gabe adds, peeking back into the nursery." Happy Father´s Day! The first of many."

"Happy Father´s Day to you too, Gabe."

"Dad? Are you coming or not?" complains my wife from the stairs.

"Coming, darling!" he cocks an eyebrow in my direction and leaves me alone with my child.

A daughter´s always her daddy´s girl and now I´ve got my own. I can´t wait to experience what unconditional love is. I can´t wait to hear her say the word and then my happiness will be complete.

Daddy. I never thought I´d ever see the day.

**THE END**


End file.
